‘No. She only came as far as the landing before she fell,’ I answer him, careful to keep my voice calm, though fear permeates every cell in my body.
It’s then that I spot something on the bed close to the jacket he’s torn off and tossed there, and the pieces begin to fall sickeningly into place. I move carefully towards it, freezing as he casts a scathing glance at me before returning to his theatricals. I wait a beat, then quickly scoop up the item that confirms my worst fears. It hadn’t been here before. It could only have come from his jacket pocket. He must have realised she’d lost it. Been frantically searching for it the last time he’d done this, desperate for me not to find it. Breathing in deeply, I take a step back.
‘It was you who ransacked the bedroom, wasn’t it?’ I ask, making an accusation from which I know there will be no turning back.
He faces me, looking at me askance, as if he now thinks I’m the one who has ‘issues’.
‘Is this what you were looking for?’ Holding out my hand, I unfurl my fingers to reveal one of Imogen’s bumblebee and moonstone earrings.
SEVENTY-FIVE
He doesn’t answer; just stares at the earring as if it were alive and crawling. ‘Is it one of yours?’ he asks eventually, unmistakable alarm in his eyes as they come back to mine.
I look at him narrowly. ‘You know it’s not.’
He wipes a hand over his face. ‘Evie’s then, presumably,’ he says, with an attempt at a nonchalant shrug.
Every nerve in my body tightens. ‘It’s Imogen’s,’ I state flatly.
‘Is it?’ His forehead creases into a mystified frown. ‘Ah, right.’ He nods as if enlightened. ‘She must have left it here with the other jewellery she?—’
‘She did not leave it here!’ I raise my voice over him. ‘It was on thebed.Ourbed! Right next to the jacket you’ve just slung there.’
I watch a slow swallow slide down his throat as he realises he’s been caught out, and feel sick to my soul. Saying nothing, he glances at the duvet, studying it intently for a long moment. Clearly trying to think up a more believable lie to add to the rest.
‘Did she have sex with you willingly, Jack? Or did you coerce her?’ I spit the words out, disgust and fury rising like bile inside me.
He emits a scornful laugh. ‘I see,’ he says, in that way he does. ‘That woman really has done a job on you, hasn’t she?’ He tips his head to one side, scrutinising me. ‘I end up the monster. Again.’
I stare at him, staggered, as he attempts to blame Natalia. What about Lina? I’m surprised he letthatopportunity slip by, reminding me that she’s demented, out to get him. And Evie? Will he blame her to get himself off the hook? Any feelings I might have had left for him evaporate in an instant as I realise he would. Just as he’d blamed her for what happened in Antigua. He’s right. He is a monster.
‘You’d better let me have that.’ He moves so fast, I don’t have time to move back. ‘For safe keeping,’ he says, sliding an arm around my back, yanking me close and grabbing the hand I’m clutching the earring in.
I clench my fist tight around it. He attempts to prise my fingers open. ‘You’rehurtingme.’ I try to squirm away from him. He only tightens his grip.
‘And you haven’t hurthim?’ he seethes, his eyes dark, thunderous, as they drill into mine. ‘Do you care about what the stress is doing to our baby? To me? This constant doubting?’ His mouth curls into a snarl. ‘Just likeshedid. Accusing me.Crushingme. That’s what you’re doing, taking that bitch’s word over mine.’
I whimper as he bends one of my fingers back so hard I fear it will snap. ‘Stop,please!’ I cry.
He doesn’t. My baby kicks ferociously. Panic spirals inside me and I do the only thing I can do, sinking my teeth hard into the bare flesh on his neck.
‘Jesus Christ!’ He yelps, slackening his grip. Pressing a hand to his neck, he pulls it away and examines the blood on it, then locks eyes glistening with pure hatred on mine. ‘You reallyshouldn’t have done that,’ he says, and smiles, and my heart turns over.
‘Stayaway,’ I scream, stumbling backwards as he moves towards me.
‘I can’t do that now, Kara, can I?’ he says, the smile sliding from his face. ‘Because you’re going to go telling tales. Just like she did.’
He’s completely insane.Staggering back another step, I spin around, screaming for help as I flee along the landing.
He’s on me as I reach the stairs, grabbing me from behind. ‘There’s no one here to help you,’ he whispers, his tone taunting, his mouth so close to my ear I can feel his warm breath on my face.
‘Jack, please stop,’ I beg, struggling to prise his arms from around me as he manoeuvres me closer to the top step.
‘Think of your baby. The one you were so desperate to have you tricked me into it,’ he hisses. ‘And stop fucking struggling, will you? You’ll only distress him more.’
‘Please let me go,’ I whimper, dread pooling in the pit of my belly as I stare down at the crimson stain that still adorns the hall floor.
‘I intend to,’ he growls. ‘First, though, you need to know that I had no need tocoercedear Immy. She had sex with me willingly. It was good, too, having someone who wasn’t so needyshewould coerceme.’
